WASHINGTON, August 19, 2016 -- The Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) have announced the signing of the first Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case under the new Lead-Nation Procurement Initiative as part of a series of improvements to be made to FMS processes as outlined in DSCA’s strategic plan – DSCA Vision 2020.

The FMS case, signed by the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, involves the sharing of costs associated with the hosting of a senior U.S. Army officer at the Baltic Defence College located in Tartu, Estonia. Established in 1998, the Baltic Defence College serves as a Professional Military Education (PME) institution for senior military leaders of the Baltic nations as well as other NATO Allies. The three NATO Allies agreed in 2015 that the addition of a U.S. Army senior officer to serve as a course director would add a new layer and further enhance the already-strong relationships between the United States, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

The Lead-Nation Procurement Initiative is intended to support sales to a NATO organization or NATO country with subsequent retransfer to an identified group of NATO countries (currently a two-year pilot program). Lead-nation procurements will be supported by retransfer arrangements designed to permit flexible sharing among the identified group of participants while maintaining accountability and adhering to statutory reporting requirements.

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The Defense Security Cooperation Agency is the Department’s lead agency for the execution of Security Cooperation programs. DSCA subject-matter expertise spans the gamut of Security Cooperation activities to include policy, financial, legal, legislative, programmatic, and weapons systems experts. For questions regarding the DSCA, call 703-697-9709 or email dsca.ncr.lmo.mbx.info@mail.mil. Visit our website at http://www.dsca.mil/.